Middle School Curriculum
 Eliot’s Middle School sets the ideal stage for students growing into thoughtful, responsible young adults.
In grades six through eight, the Eliot
Montessori Middle School provides a transition
from the structure and materials of a
traditional Montessori program to the
expectations and situations of high school.
Our middle school environment is
non-competitive, supportive and caring, yet
challenges the students to know and develop
their individual strengths and talents. A low
student to teacher ratio allows us to teach
strong, appropriate academic and social
skills.
Practical Life
At the middle school level, the Practical Life
curriculum continues the practice of expecting
the students to maintain the physical spaces
both individual and common. Caring for plants,
fish, and other animals is part of our
maintenance. Students are constantly encouraged
to make responsible, individual decisions about
their work and behavior. Small size and caring
teachers create a safe atmosphere where students
can make mistakes and learn from them.
This is a time for students to continue to
learn about themselves as they develop as
pre-teens. The health education curriculum
provides students with vital information about
nutrition and human sexuality as well as to ask
questions and receive developmentally
appropriate answers. Guest speakers offer
students information and ideas about higher
education and careers.
The Farm
One morning each week, the middle school
works at the Natick Community Organic Farm. The
students do every kind of work from feeding the
animals to stacking firewood to gathering sap at
maple sugaring time. In addition, the students
work in small groups on farm-based projects
connected to the science and math curriculums.
They learn to be careful observers and recorders
of animal and vegetable life over the course of
three seasons. Many students return to the Farm
in summer to work, to provide leadership, and to
continue to experience the deep satisfaction of
working closely with the natural world.
Language Arts
The four language arts, reading, writing,
speaking and listening, are taught discreetly in
order to focus on skills. The skills include
active reading and note taking, revision, and
correctness in grammar, usage and mechanics.
Writing is taught as a process; the emphasis is
on essay writing for school and on creative
self-expression. In literature circles, students
apply their skills to discussions, journal
writing, and writing from their imaginations.
Mathematics
"Life is a word problem." Holly
Lombardo
The mathematics curriculum is individualized;
therefore, students work on a wide variety of
topics and exercises ranging from solving simple
equations using decimals and percents, ratios
and proportions, pre-algebra, algebra, and
secondary level geometry. Students are supported
by daily conferences with the teacher. They are
encouraged to set their own goals, ones that are
increasingly challenging.
History and Social Studies
The history/social studies curriculum recognizes
that knowledge of time, place, event, and
significant people is essential to understanding
both past and current events. Cause/effect
relationships are emphasized. In addition,
students are given broad questions that serve as
focal points for research and discussions. One
such question is “What is progress?”
Students learn physical and political geography
as part of each unit.
Science
The science curriculum focuses on exploration
and creativity as well as readings from a
variety of sources. Sixth graders learn the
systems of the human body, earth science,
ecology, biodiversity, and classification. They
demonstrate their understanding of the topics by
creating projects such as the Tour de Body
travel brochure, Adopt-a-Rock, and a
three-dimensional biome. In seventh and eighth
grade, the students deepen their study. Life
science looks at cell structures and functions,
as well as genetics and heredity. Physical
science considers elements and compounds.
Students’ knowledge and creativity are
challenged in projects such as The Incredible
Edible Cell and Create-a-Chromosome.
Spanish
“When you learn a new language you gain
another world.” Goethe
With the objective to enrich students’
lives and to prepare them for active
participation in a multi-lingual,
inter-dependent global community, we continue to
teach Spanish in the Middle School.
Students in the Middle School continue to
expand their knowledge of Spanish with an
emphasis on furthering reading and listening
comprehension. A variety of supplemental
material is utilized to reinforce and challenge
proficiency, including textbook, workbooks,
software and audio materials and online
activities.
Classes, which meet four times a week, are
conducted entirely in Spanish. In addition to
the daily interaction with the teacher and with
peers, conversation skills include conducting an
interview, giving and understanding directions
and interacting with ease and confidence in
familiar social situations. Individual and group
recitations include poetry, songs and skits.
Selections from history, literature and current
events are offered for reading aloud and
translating practice. Writing assignments focus
on creativity, attention to detail in spelling,
the use of accents and correct grammar. Journals
are kept and correspondence with pen pals is
maintained.
Cultural exploration of daily life in Spanish
speaking countries continues as well as research
into historical themes of Latin America and
Spain and about important Hispanic personalities
past and present. The internet is a source of
real-time investigation in the target language.
Celebrations are marked by preparing regional
food and by listening and dancing to typical
music. Field trips include visits to the MFA,
the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
in Cambridge, Hispanic markets or authentic
restaurants in the Greater Boston area and
listening to Spanish TV stations.
Latin
“Not to know what happened before we
were born, is to remain perpetually a child. For
what is the worth of a human life unless it is
woven into the life of our ancestors by the
records of history?” Cicero
Latin is a core subject offered in the Middle
School. The purpose of the Latin program is to
acquaint students with the workings of the Latin
language as it complements their basic
education. The goal is to be familiar with the
fundamental rules and characteristics of Latin.
As students learn the principles of Latin
grammar their own understanding of English
grammar is strengthened. Students acquire an
expanded vocabulary through recognition of
English words descended from Latin and gain a
general outline of Roman history, mythology and
civilization.
Students use a textbook with accompanying
workbook and online activities. The three-year
program begins with a review of the parts of
speech, gender and syntax. The sequence of the
textbook, designed for Middle School students,
covers the equivalent of a first year
High-School program. Computer programs and games
reinforce skills. Supplemental readings in
literature, mythology and history provide
students with practice in translation. In
addition, periodic word study units provide
students with the opportunity to see the
relationship of words in the English language
with Latin. During the final year, an overview
of Greek roots is presented for comparison and
enrichment.
Through videos and activities, students learn
about aspects of ancient Roman culture,
civilization and mythology. Research assignments
cover such topics as Latin poets and writers,
architecture or engineering, and the daily life,
customs and beliefs of the ancient Romans.
Projects may include making a diorama, a mosaic,
a wax tablet or an illuminated manuscript from
the medieval period. At the end of the year
students celebrate with a Roman banquet offering
simple fare, like grapes, bread, honey and
cheese. In preparation for the banquet, students
research persons from the Roman Republic or
Empire period and attend the banquet in costume
and in character. Entertainment at the banquet
includes music and humorous skits.
The Latin Declamation has become an annual
tradition and is a unique opportunity for public
speaking. Seventh and eighth year students
choose a work from history or literature,
research the author or genre, translate it and
then recite it from memory in front of an
audience of parents, faculty and classmates in
the original Latin.
As part of the Latin program, all students
participate in the National Latin Exam.
Art
In the Middle school, we extend skills and
processes by applying them in guided projects.
The program remains open to deviations through
individual or group projects.
Computer
By Middle School, students pass a keyboarding
requirement of all letters and major punctuation
and 20 words per minute. Time-based projects
using animation and video are pursued. Students
work on digital photography and formatting for
the yearbook. Students use the Hyperstudio
program to build nonlinear multimedia projects.
Music
Students improvise short melodies, unaccompanied
and over given rhythmic accompaniments, each in
a consistent style, meter and tonality. Students
compose short pieces for voice or instruments
within teacher-specific guidelines, using
elements of music to achieve: unity and variety;
tension and release; and balance.
Physical Education
At Eliot Montessori children participate in
physical education classes for one hour twice a
week. With the older children the emphasis is on
physical and spatial abilities, they work on
developing strength, endurance, balance,
cardio-respiratory, fitness, speed and agility
while also participating in more complex games
and activities. We still assist the children in
discovering the joy in physical activity and
continue to develop their understanding of
sportsmanship and fair play.
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